Groupon Says No Thanks To High Priced Google Buyout
Groupon on Friday was rumored to have turned down a massive $6 billion buyout offer by Google, a bold move for the company that currently nets just $50 million per month.
The offer, according to Bloomberg, included $5.3 billion with a $700 million earnout.
So why the urge to stay independent? Some analyst numbers actually place the companies earnings at much higher numbers, with AllThingsD believing the company may generate $2 billion in yearly sales, rather than the recently reported $500 million figure.
Even if those numbers are higher, the $6 billion buyout would be a net gain of 3 years at $2 billion or up to 12 years of earnings at the lower $500 million price tag.
One possibility for the rejection? A Groupon IPO in 2011 which could help line the owners pockets, while providing further capital for the site to expand their offerings.